Category: music

Next April, Lyric Opera of Chicago will give the Midwest premiere of Cruzar la Cara de la Luna (“To Cross the Face of the Moon”), the first Spanish-language production in the company’s 58-year history. The piece was commissioned by Lyric general director Anthony Freud during his tenure at Houston Grand Opera, where it premiered in 2010.

Michael Kieran Harvey: “There is no problem with the number or quality of Australian composers or performers; we punch well above our weight for such a population. There is a problem, however, and it is that Australian classical music audiences still regard Australian music and performers as inferior.”

“Locked out since Oct. 1 in a contract dispute with management, the musicians of the Minnesota Orchestra emerged from limbo Thursday to offer a triumphant, self-organized, sold-out concert at the same hour, and in the same venue, as their previously scheduled season opener.”

Jennifer Jolley, who blogs about every competition she doesn’t win, sets an example for other composers by letting the public see the person behind the score.

“Contract talks will continue, but management and players of the Delaware Symphony Orchestra have struck a temporary deal that salvages the rest of the 2012-13 season.”

Alt-classical? Yes: Classical Revolution, among other small groups, spreads classical music into the spaces of daily life.

Baltimore had a run of balanced budgets, but the hole for last year will run at least $750,000, symphony management says.

Revenues double for British singers – and songwriters. “‘Music is a great British success story,’ she said. ‘It contributes significantly to our economy and promotes our endemic creativity and culture.'”

“The first reality is this: However much it takes to become a top-flight classical musician, the performer can expect to earn only what the market is able and willing to pay. … Today, far more ‘people with money’ are inspired to give to charities meeting human needs than are willing to pay top-flight classical music performers year after year. … [U]nless and until society at large assigns higher value to the extraordinary work of classical music performers, musicians cannot expect to be paid what they deserve.”

“While contributions and ticket sale revenues reached an all-time high at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 2012, the boost was not enough to keep the orchestra from running an operating shortfall for the second year in a row.”